Catholic Women’s Association In Garankuwa Celebrates Forty-Fifth Anniversary

by Daluxolo Moloantoa · Published May 30, 2023 · Updated May 30, 2023

“Happy birthday to the Catholic Church! Happy birthday to you, who are the body of the Church!” This was the message heard in celebration of the Church on Pentecost Sunday. Also celebrating its birthday was the Catholic Women’s Association (CWA) at the Christ the New Man Church in Garankuwa, north of Pretoria. The sodality celebrated its forty-fifth anniversary at the parish.

Christ the New Man Church was the home parish Of Bishop Robert Mphiwe, who was featured in the April 2021 issue of The Southern Cross. It was a very active centre of evangelisation, community development and pastoral training in the 1990s. This was the period when it was under the administration of past Stigmatine Fathers priests such as Fr Michele D’Annucci CSS and the Sisters of St Brigid.

Among those who came to celebrate with the women were several members of women’s sodalities at other Garankuwa churches including the Methodist church. Also among the visitors were a number of seminarians from the Stigmatine junior seminary in Wildwoods, Pretoria North.

It was a most fitting celebration, as the organisation’s ethos is closely linked to the celebration of Pentecost. The sodality is often referred to as the sodality of the Holy Spirit, as is symbolised in its logo. It is prevalent in many parishes of the Archdiocese of Pretoria and further afield, with active members in the Diocese of Gaborone in Botswana.

The celebration started with a procession led by parish priest Fr Harrison Mulenga CSS from the church’s entrance up to the courtyard, where Fr Mulenga blessed the sodality’s anniversary banner. This was followed by the celebration of Holy Mass. The Mass had various features as part of the celebrations. These included the induction of a new member, the declaration of full membership for three members and the renewal of the CWA pledge by existing members.

The CWA was founded in 1964 at St Anne’s parish in Atteridgville. Over the years it spread to other parishes of the archdiocese and beyond.

The programme to celebrate the day began immediately after the Mass service. Past CWA inter-diocese president Mrs Rachel More administered the MC duties in a lively presentation, which included a brief history of the sodality, a memorial dedication to departed members, and messages of congratulations, among other items.

At the end of the programme, Parish Pastoral chairperson Mr Lekwape gave thanks to all present. After the service, all who were gathered enjoyed lunch in the parish hall.